Five education trends for the new school year

education-trendsTrends in education are always appearing, such as iPads and online testing (and remember virtual reality classrooms?), but with recent developments in national standards and a new federal emphasis on equity, the 2013-14 school year will have a set of trends all its own.

From issues surrounding Common Core State Standards implementation to the number of tools available to create customized, affordable ebooks, educators and administrators this year will certainly have their hands full with adapting to these national education trends.

What trends have you noticed for the new school year? How is your school or district adapting to some of the five trends listed below? Leave your insights in the comment section below—we’d love to hear from you!…Read More

Facebook-led project seeks internet access globally for all

Facebook Inc’s Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has enlisted Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, Qualcomm Inc and four other companies for a project aimed at bringing internet access to people around the world who cannot afford it, following efforts by Google Inc., Reuters reports. The project, called Internet.org, is the latest move by an internet company trying to expand Web access globally. Facebook rival Google is hoping technology, including balloons, wireless and fiber connections will expand connectivity. Internet.org, which was launched on Wednesday, will focus on seeking ways to help the 5 billion people – or two-thirds of the world’s population – who do not have Internet access, come online, the company said in a statement…

Read the full story

…Read More

Ed-tech stakeholders advocate for boost in eRate cap

Ed-tech advocates say increasing the federal eRate cap is essential for U.S. students’ success.

Inadequate internet connectivity is more than an inconvenience to teachers and students—it has the capacity to limit the educational and economic potential of more than 52 million students in more than 113,000 schools across the nation, according to ed-tech stakeholders.

During an Aug. 12 briefing, John Harrington, CEO of eRate consulting firm Funds For Learning, said President Obama’s proposed ConnectED initiative, which aims to connect 99 percent of America’s students to the internet through high-speed broadband within five years. Obama called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to modernize the existing eRate program to make that goal a reality.

Making sure that 99 percent of U.S. students have access to internet with speeds of at least 100 Mbps and up to 1 Gbps would mean that internet access is as ubiquitous as electricity in schools, Harrington said.…Read More

Idaho schools flock to state wireless program

Eighty percent of Idaho school districts and charter schools eligible to participate in the state’s contract to install wireless equipment have signed up, the Idaho Department of Education and Idaho Statesman report. Two hundred high schools and  junior highs  representing 90,000 students across the state will get upgraded wireless equipment for laptops, tablets and smart phones. Schools should be connected by March 2014. Participating Treasure Valley school districts include Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, Kuna and Middleton. Boise School District officials spoke with the Education Department and the company installing wireless equipment before making its decision to join the state program. Boise will expand its wireless capability to both teachers and students with the new equipment…
…Read More

How are classrooms implementing mobile technology?

Supporters note that mobile technology boosts student engagement.

Advocates of mobile technology in the classroom say that devices such as tablets and smart phones boost student engagement and offer a way to personalize learning for each student. Now, a new survey takes a look at the extent to which mobile technology has penetrated classrooms, and reveals what’s keeping some districts from forging ahead with mobile technology deployments.

Across the globe, tablet sales have soared since 2012 and are expected to top laptop and desktop sales by 2015, according to Gartner research. More than one-third of U.S. teenagers own a smart phone, and nearly one-quarter–23 percent–have a tablet, and parents have reported that they believe their students’ reading and math skills improved while using mobile devices and related applications.

Interactive Educational Systems Design conducted an online survey of K-12 district technology and media leaders in May of 2013. The survey focused on the current and future levels of mobile technology adoption in schools; the most significant hurdles to mobile technology adoption; access to mobile technology in the classroom; bring your own device (BYOD) policies; interest in purchasing tablets for student use; the types of mobile devices that have been adopted or will be adopted for student instruction; and more.…Read More

Our schools need better internet access, capacity

President Obama announced the ConnectED initiative last month to connect 99 percent of America’s K-12 students to 1 gigabit of broadband and high-speed Wi-Fi in the next five years, reports The San Francisco Chronicle. Earlier this month, the Federal Communications Commission took the first step to achieve that goal by modernizing its $2.5 billion subsidy program to bring faster internet to schools and libraries. Together, these initiatives create a moment of opportunity to transform teaching and learning in America’s schools. The 21st century classroom will leverage technology to improve student outcomes by personalizing learning, but it must be built on a foundation of robust internet infrastructure. Our schools need wireless networks and 100 megabits of internet connectivity (growing to 1 gigabit in the next five years) to support one-to-one digital learning…

Read the full story

…Read More

New report maps young Americans’ library, technology use

Younger Americans depend on libraries not just for books, but for technology access, too.

Nearly all young Americans under age 30 are online, and as library patrons, are more likely than older generations to use library technology such as computers and internet connections, according to “Younger Americans’ Library Habits and Expectations,” a new report from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project.

Along the same lines, young Americans’ library use combines traditional and technological services. While those under age 30 are just as likely as older adults to visit a library and borrow paper books, they are much more likely than older adults to use library technology, including computers, internet, and research resources such as databases.

Americans ages 16-29 are significantly more likely to have used library technology or to have remotely accessed library websites and services.…Read More

LEAD issues five digital learning recommendations

Five recommendations are key to advancing digital learning.

On the heels of President Obama’s ConnectED Initiative launch, the bipartisan Leading Education by Advancing Digital (LEAD) Commission released a five-point blueprint outlining specific actions to accelerate the expansion of K-12 digital learning.

At the same time as the U.S. Department of Education and Federal Communications Commission noted a need to determine how technology can transform K-12 education, the LEAD Commission has for more than one year worked with more than 300 ed-tech thought leaders to identify barriers that currently hamper digital learning in the U.S., and the necessary steps to overcome those barriers.

“As a country, we must make digital learning a national priority for every child to have access to the same high-quality 21st century learning tools – regardless of zip code,” said LEAD Commissioner and Former Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. “This is not and should not be a partisan issue – it’s a matter of doing what’s best for the future of our country by investing in the digital learning resources that allow teachers and students to remain globally competitive.”…Read More

Comcast expands Wi-Fi network with new ‘neighborhood’ initiative

Comcast is making it even easier for its broadband subscribers to access the Internet outside the confines of their homes, CNET reports. For the past couple of years, the company, along with several other cable operators, has been building out a Wi-Fi network in public areas, such as train platforms and in small businesses such as cafes and retail locations, to allow its broadband customers mobile access to the Internet at no additional charge. On Monday, the company will make two announcements that will expand this network…

Read the full story

…Read More

Obama unveils ConnectED initiative to boost digital learning

“We are living in a digital age, and to help our students get ahead, we must make sure they have access to cutting-edge technology,” said Obama.

President Obama today unveiled ConnectED, a new initiative intended to connect 99 percent of America’s students to the internet through high-speed broadband and high-speed wireless within five years. He called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to modernize and leverage its existing eRate program to meet that goal.

Obama also directed the federal government to make better use of existing funds to get internet connectivity and educational technology into classrooms, and into the hands of teachers trained on its advantages.  And he called on businesses, states, districts, schools, and communities to support this vision. This initiative does not require Congressional action.

(Next page: A White House fact sheet, and what digital learning advocates are saying)
“We are living in a digital age, and to help our students get ahead, we must make sure they have access to cutting-edge technology,” said Obama. “So today, I’m issuing a new challenge for America – one that families, businesses, school districts and the federal government can rally around together – to connect virtually every student in America’s classrooms to high-speed broadband internet within five years, and equip them with the tools to make the most of it.”…Read More

Teachers: Ed-tech boosts students’ abilities, self-sufficiency

Technology’s potential to aid teaching and learning when properly implemented and used is widely agreed upon, and teachers say that ed-tech has the potential to both positively and negatively impact students’ learning. A new infographic from Teacher Portal chronicles the emergence of ed-tech in today’s K-12 classrooms.

Teachers said that ed-tech tools offer numerous advantages and can help boost student learning and engagement. For instance, eReaders help students annotate text, reduce paper use, and a text-to-speech function helps students with vision problems or language barriers.

Seventy-three percent of teachers and students use cell phones in class and for assignments, followed by 66 percent using digital cameras, 55 percent using digital video recorders, 45 percent using eReaders, and 43 percent using tablets.…Read More